Study night with Kim and Ron
by Thomas Linquist
Summary: Kim and Ron are now your typical college couple, who just happen to save the world on an on-going basis. How easy the rest of us have it!
1. Chapter 1

Note: Kim Possible and all related characters are the property of Disney. I own nothing but the story that follows.

Ron walked carefully up to the apartment door, balancing a tray of sodas in one hand, and three bags from Buenos Nachos in the other. He had been pretty lucky up until now. As he was coming into the building, another tenant had held the door for him. In the elevator, another guy had considerately pushed the button for the floor he now was on.

Now Ron had a real dilemma. How was he going to ring the doorbell? He toyed with the idea of kicking at the bottom of the door, or maybe just shouting.

He was saved from this sitch by Rufus, who popped his head out of his owner's pocket. Climbing up the front of Ron's shirt, the little rodent made a flying leap, hitting the doorbell. He did a back flip and landed neatly on a shoulder.

"Thanks little buddy." Ron said. "I didn't want to drop supper all over the place, again."

"Uh-uh!", Rufus chirped in response, shaking his head. The last time Ron and Kim had pulled an all-nighters, he had gone hungry (for almost a full hour) when Ron had to make a quick grab for his pants.

In response to the chime from within the apartment, the door opened slightly. Monique looked through the opening, and then pulled the door completely open.

It was clear by the dress she wore that Monique was getting ready for a night out on the town. The black garment was just slinky enough to attract attention, without being so revealing as to be uncomfortable on the dance floor. The effect she was going for. Even before completing the design course at Middleton College, she was already making a name for herself in the world of fashion, with some of her best designs for sale at Club Banana.

"Whoa, Monique, that's quite the look you've got going there." Ron gave the dress, and the figure inside of it an appraising look. "Are you and Wade trying to make everyone else down at the campus pub as green as Shego with envy?"

Ever since graduation, Wade had come out from behind the keyboard a lot more often, and had even started to work out a bit. It was well known that he and Monique were "the item" in Middleton.

Where most young women would have giggled, Monique gave a genuine laugh, her dark complexion hiding her blush.

"Not really, Ron. This is just something that I wanted to try out before putting it to the people at the company. Do you think Wade will like it?"

"Well, duh! If he doesn't, check and make sure he didn't lose his eye sight staring at the monitors in the lab all day." Ron was hopelessly addicted to video games, but nobody spent more time in front of a computer than Wade, not even the guys who built the things.

Ron walked in past Monique, his arms really starting to get tired from carrying all of the snackage for tonight's study session. Finding an empty space on the counter, he carefully put the load down. Thank heavens he'd left his books there the previous night when he walked Kim home from classes. The backpack would have been the straw that broke the Stoppable's back.

"Kim's in her room, Ron. Don't wait up!" Monique made a graceful exit from the apartment, taking just long enough to check her hair in the mirror by the door and grab a small handbag.

The door to Kim's room was open slightly. Her desk lamp was making a pool of light where her head lay on the book. Her long red hair seemed to hide almost everything. Ron could see the back of her neck, and the tense shoulders. By the looks of things, Sociology was a lot more complex in her text books than in practice.

Quietly pushing the door open, Ron stole quietly into the room. Rufus, still riding his shoulder, shook his head at the sleeping beauty before them. He chattered softly in Ron's ear.

"Yeah, she looks beat. I knew I should have hidden her books when we got back from putting Motor Ed away, again." Ron looked down at his girlfriend, concerned with what he was seeing. He might not be the sharpest tack in the box, but even he knew exhaustion when he saw it. This was a classic case of what his mother referred to as "burning the candle at too many ends."

Putting Rufus on the dresser next to the door, Ron went over and softly laid his hands on Kim's shoulders. Beginning to massage her back and neck, he could feel the tension, and slowly began to increase the pressure. After five years of missions, he knew how to deal with worn out muscles and strained tendons. As he worked, Kim began to stir, slowly returning to the waking world.

"Ooh!", moaned Kim. Very slowly, she raised her head from the arms that had been folded over the desk. When Ron removed his hands, she shook out her hair, sleepily pushing most of it behind her ears. "Now that's the way I like to wake up. How long have you been here, Ron."

"Just got in. Monique opened the door for me. She was on her way out to meet our boy Wade."

Kim rose from her chair and stretched, her back arched, much as it used to when she would do flips on the cheer squad back in high school. As usual, a good stretch seemed to bring Kim back to herself, as if the physical awakening was linked to the activity of her brain. She turned those green eyes of hers on the young man behind her, looking over her shoulder.

Once again, Ron melted. He was never able to say just when it was that she developed this ability. It was stronger even the the "puppy dog pout" she had developed as a kid. One look into the face of Kim Possible, and he knew where he was destined to spend the rest of his life. By Kim's side. It didn't matter to him if he was going to spend eternity facing every kind of doom machine villainy could come up with.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes**

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible, she and all related material are the property of Disney.

I want to give a shout out to all of those who have commented on the previous chapter. Special thanks to CajunBear 73, who gave me the last line for this chapter. It is SO Kim Possible!

* * *

Kim turned around and put her arms around Ron's neck, giving him a lingering kiss. Sure, they had seen each other just that morning, before heading to separate classes, but she could never seem to get enough of him. Was it the goofy grin, the way he acted as if she were the only other person in the world when they were together? Who cared? He loved her, and she knew it. Somehow, she had known it since starting high school. 

It just took the right time and circumstances for her to see clearly.

As the couple broke apart, all too reluctantly, Ron looked at the book on Kim's desk. What had been so hard for his girlfriend to study? The woman knew more than most other people her age had forgotten. The title at the top of the page was, "Dynamics of Political Change".

"Is this what put you to sleep, Kim, or were you still trying to catch up after our flight back from New Jersey?"

Kim looked up sheepishly from where she had stopped to say hello to Rufus, who was hugging her fiercely around the wrist. "A little of column A and a little of column B, I'm afraid. I really should have brought the book along to study on the way there and back. Now I have to catch up on both my studying and sleeping."

With the demands of college and still working assignments from the website, life was getting pretty hectic for every member of Team Possible. If the twins and Monique hadn't signed on part time, along with a few other friends, things were quickly going to get overwhelming. Even Zita Flores, an old flame of Ron's had come in, assisting Wade with the electronic side of things.

"Exactly what are you supposed to do with it once you've read it, KP?" Ron picked up the book and they headed back out to the living room. He couldn't even get past the title, never mind what kind of use it would have in the "real world", which for him was a culinary setting and stuffing his face with junk food.

"I'm supposed to write a paper about how a government should develop, and the consequences when the changes are too sudden for the people." Kim was playing a little with Rufus, tickling his little naked belly. The sound of naked mole rat giggles was certainly different. How could she ever have considered the little guy ugly? "I can't decide what examples to use. East Timor? The reunification of Germany? It's all just a bit much right now."

As Ron always said, there was no point trying to study on an empty stomach. Of course, when he studied, the result was usually something to put into that stomach. The girls apartment was stuffed with food Ron had either made himself, or items that Smarty Mart wanted to try out before putting it on the shelves. In this case, a bowl of nachos went down nicely.

Between the homemade bread Ron insisted on bringing over and Bueno Nacho, Kim was having to actually watch her waistline. If it weren't for the calorie expenditure of missions, she figured she would soon weigh a ton. Monique had once brought a loaf of bread home when they first moved in. It went straight to mold, which Wade had decided would make a nice lab experiment. Since then, the only food they ever had to buy was milk and small snacks.

With two people and a naked mole rat stuffed and the garbage sorted for recycling and disposal, the books were opened, and studying resumed. Kim was still trying to decide which way her paper should go, what country she should use as model of the way political change could be botched. Ron, ever the pessimist, wasn't of much help. His philosophy was that any government could and would screw up, and all you could do was look out for yourself and your neighbors on the ride.

The Kimunicator, lying on the coffee table gave its distinctive four beeps.

"What?!", Kim cried in frustration. "We just got back from a mission. I haven't even reloaded the grapple in my hair dryer." She heaved herself up from the kitchen table and picked up the offending device.

"Go, Wade."

It wasn't the face of Wade Load on the screen. Kim had forgotten just why she and Ron had the apartment to themselves that evening. Zita smiled up at the leader of Team Possible, almost apologetically, like she knew how tired Kim was, or that she wasn't exactly who was expected to call.

"Sorry, Zita! I totally forgot about Monique and Wade going out tonight. Guess I'm still on New Jersey time. What's the sitch?"

"We just got a hit on the website, Kim.", Zita answered. "It's an "old friend" of yours, Prince Wally the third of Rodigon. It looks like he's gotten himself into a mess again. At least this time prophesy and modern day knights don't have anything to do with it."

"All right, see what you can do about a ride please."

Just what she needed. No sooner do she and Ron get back to Middleton, and somebody else was in a jam. What with missions, college and the occasional sleep, they hadn't had any time at all together as a regular couple. This lifestyle was really starting to wear on her. Well, no sleep for the world heroes that night. So the restlessness!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes**

The usual disclaimer: Kim Possible and all related stuff is the property of Disney. All hail the Mouse!

I would like to once again thank all of you who have taken the time to review this story. Your comments are greatly appreciated.

It has been brought to my attention that Wade Load is actually considerably younger than the rest of Team Possible. I have never actually seen a reference, but I haven't seen all of season four yet. We live out in the middle of television nowhere, and I only discovered the show a few months ago. I beg your indulgence and give Wade a couple more years of life.

* * *

"You've got to admit, KP, working for royalty once in a while has great perks." Ron leaned back in his seat, the relatively large desk in front of him holding several texts. Kim, in the seat opposite her boyfriend, was similarly surrounded by study material.

Prince Wally had sent the royal jet once again to pick up Team Possible. While Rodigon might be a nation smaller than the Middleton Mall, it was a wealthy nation. Though no longer the snooty heir to the throne they had once protected, he was inclined to show off those resources at the least opportunity. Hence Kim and Ron had the ability to study in comfort.

"At least we aren't crammed in with a load of taco shells this time." Kim replied with a mischievious glint in her eyes. "Next time you arrange a ride, no Bueno Nacho." She had vowed at the time that her boyfriend would never hear the end of that one. "We were lucky they didn't make us unload the truck at the end."

"Aw man, it's not my fault! You are just owed better favors than I am." Ron did his best to look hurt, but his heart just wasn't in it. Even he had come out of that trip a little the worse for wear.

Meanwhile, Rufus was busy sleeping off a huge bag of salted nuts. When you spend most of your day in a man's pocket, you learn to enjoy what comforts come your way. To his way of thinking, just having a seat to himself was a luxury. Life as a naked mole rat was good.

With the slightest shudder, the jet slowed from the hypersonic speed it had been making. For a few short seconds, the windows showed only the clouds. The stewards came and assisted their passengers in clearing the table. That done, everyone buckled up for landing. Rufus was almost completely covered by his belt, much to the amusement of his pet humans.

No sooner had the wheels stopped rolling than Team Possible was escorted to a non-descript black sedan. Security was everywhere, both uniformed and covert. Given the population of Rodigon, it was an awfully large contingent. Eighty percent had to be mercenary, or rent-a-cops.

"Okay, is it just me, KP, or is there something seriously wrong with this picture?" Ron looked at the hardware their escorts were carrying. A peaceful person, until friends and family were threatened, he hated guns. As a child, he had refused to play cowboys and indians. The one time he had, he had actually got the "cowboys" to sign a treaty and "smoke" his bubble peace pipe.

"No, there is a definite weirdness going on here. I think Wally is in even worse trouble than Zita knew." Kim looked at the men and women in the streets as they rode to the palace. The request on the website had been sparse on details, heavy on the dramatics. "I think we can rule out the loose shoe lace theory."

The car eased through the gate to the palace, the guards on either side snapping to attention. Ceremonial uniforms or not, they were obviously on guard and high alert. Rufus stood with his face pressed against the window, his eyes picking out the forces spread around the courtyard.

"Nope, this definitely is not a good sitch." Kim said, shaking her head with concern.

The prince himself met the Team Possible trio at the heavy oak doors. He brushed aside the security personnel in his eagerness to greet his guests. Gone was the holier-than-thou attitude. In two years, the spoiled potentate in waiting had matured into a proper statesman.

"Miss Possible, Mister Stoppable, I am so glad that you are here. You changed my life as well as saving it, so naturally you were the only people I would dream of asking to help me now." Wallace took each of their hands in both of his own, shaking with feeling. On seeing the smallest of his guests, he offered his right index finger, which Rufus shook with the quiet dignity only he could muster.

Kim and Ron followed His Highness down a long corridor, followed closely by some of the ubiquitous security guards. Both sides were lined with oil paintings. The ones closest to the grand entrance were of men in armor or ancient styles of dress. As the group proceeded down the hall, the costume worn by the subject became more modern. These, evidently, were the aristocracy of Rodigon.

Idly looking at the pictures, Kim spotted one of a man who seemed vaguely familiar. She had met a lot of people in the past six years. Was she maybe just imagining that she knew that face? In any case, they were past the portrait before she had time to give it any serious thought. The image was burned into her subconscious and filed away until there might be time to consider the matter.

A few paces farther, and they had reached their destination. A guard posted before a pair of doors snapped to attention and saluted, opening the panel on the right. Next to that entry was a picture of the ruling monarch. Wallace the second had called upon Kim and Ron to protect his son from the Knights of Rodigon, a sect determined to end the rule of the kings.

While they had failed in the attempt to kill Wally outright, they had still fulfilled the prophesy. On returning to his home, the prince had announced that he would not take the throne when his father decided to step down. He intended to turn Rodigon into one of the smaller democracies of Europe. His Highness had been interviewed by numerous members of the press.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable here. I will return in a moment." The prince gestured for his guests to enter the room, and continued on to another set of doors farther down the hall and opposite. Most of the entourage went with him, but three remained. One stood guard at the door, another took up a position at the windows. The third, in the costume of a servant, awaited any requests.

"Now this is a library, KP!" Ron said, looking at three walls filled with books. "If I can ever afford to get out of my parents' house, I've got to have a room like this." He strolled about, running a hand over the varnished surface of the table that dominated the center or the room. The clock on the mantle received a fair share of attention, as did the intricately carved panels on the cabinets. While the kitchen was Ron Stoppable's true domain, he was very much into design and architecture.

"I hope we can get to the mission soon." Kim said, looking at the hands of the clock. "I've only got three days to put that paper together. It's a major part of my grade. Why didn't I shut down the website when we graduated?" She sank into a nearby chair, her shoulders slumped and long red hair falling forward to cover her face. The rush of going on a mission had left her, and now she seemed small and fragile.

Ron instantly was at the heroine's side. He may have seemed oblivious to the world around him, but his every nerve was tied to the woman at the table. It was as if somebody threw a switch. One moment he was the same goof who had always bumbled along through his adventures with his partner. The next instant he was like a hovering presence protecting Kim from anything that might threaten her. Even Dr. James Possible had given up worrying about his "Kimmie-cub". He knew that she had a new guardian angel, even if it was a freckled, tow-headed young man with a tendency to trip over his own feet.

"We've discussed this, Kim." When he used that tone combined with her given name, he was in the most serious mode he was capable of. The hushed, mature tenor disguised his boyish looks, and Ron Stoppable became the man Rabbi Katz and his father had encouraged him to seek within himself. This was a voice that could not be dismissed, not even by Kim Possible.

"You just can't stop helping people, Kim. Once you got going, it became who you are." He sat in the chair next to her, taking her hand. The three other people in the room might as well have not existed. Rufus climbed from Ron's pocket and stood on the surface in front of them, a sympathetic look on his tiny face. "Whenever you help one of these people, you know why you were put on this earth. You might as well try to stop the sun from setting than stop caring." He took her chin in the fingers of his free hand. "Maybe it's time to start getting a little more help yourself."

Kim looked up at her boyfriend, her eyes shining with the light that had been kindled the night of the Junior Prom. It was one of those moments of young love that one wishes could go on forever.

Unfortunately, it was at that instant that the doors opened. The prince and his retinue entered. Wallace stopped only a couple of paces into the room. He took in the scene before him, and looked a little uncomfortable. Then his sense of his position and the urgency of his problem forced him to take charge of the situation. Some things, he had learned, have to come before personal concerns, even for royalty and world heroes. It is just one of the sad truths of life.

"I am sorry to call you here, when there must be so much else you need to do. The simple fact of the matter is that my father is being held captive, and my life has been threatened." He walked to the large arm chair at the head of the table and sat down. One of the suits at his back put a folder in front of him. "When I announced the coming changes to our government, a group of people were less than overjoyed. While most of the populace are ready to embrace democracy, these men are determined to maintain the status quo." He opened the file.

"If they want to retain the monarchy, why would they kidnap your father and threaten you? Seems to me a rather counter productive method." Kim had put on her game face. With an immediate task, she buried her weariness and was in prime mission mode. "The royal line ends with you, doesn't it? Those were the words of the prophesy. Who do they intend to rule the country if your family is out of the picture?" If nothing else, Kim was a practical woman, her ability to think outside of the box not withstanding. For all of her dealings with less than stable villains, she still had trouble wrapping her head around the criminal mind.

The prince pushed the folder down the table so that both members of Team Possible could see the picture on top of the pile of papers. "That is the leader of the pro-monarchist movement. He claims to have the blood of the Rodigon royal family." This came out with something of the prince's former contempt. "He says that his line should have the throne, that my father and I are nothing but pretenders. I _am_ having an extensive search of the family archives made, but it is my opinion that they will prove the claims false." This was said with confidence, emphasized by the prince crossing his arms over his chest.

Kim and Ron looked down at the photograph before them and gasped. Rufus, tilting his head so that he could see right side up, gave a loud squeak. "Senor Senior Senior!", all three cried out simultaneously. This just couldn't be right. The Seniors were wealthy and eccentric, but even they would not stoop to fraud, claiming to be something they weren't. Besides, ever since Junior had started dating Bonnie Rockwaller, they had gotten out of the whole "take over the world" business. Junior was working toward his dream of becoming the next big pop sensation. The rest of the pages were information that they already knew about the Seniors, copies of the death threats to Prince Wallace, and more pictures.

"Interpol has done a complete analysis of the letters that I have received. There was nothing to be found. All of them are on common paper and run off of a standard printer." The prince looked hopefully at the two young people he had called upon for help. "You seem to know this man. All we have is what could be found in the press."

"Can you confirm that your father was taken by Senor Senior?" , Kim asked.

Wallace picked a second photo from the bottom of the folder. It showed the king of Rodigon, holding up a newspaper with the previous day's date circled. Standing with a hand on his shoulder was the villain in question. The background was blank, as if the subjects had been in front of a bare wall or a white screen.

"That's it then, we have to go to Senor Senior's island.", Ron said, drawing the obvious conclusion. He and Kim had been there so often in the past five years, they practically had a key to the front gate. "You wouldn't happen to have a plane we could borrow? Something a little more, uh, discrete than the jet you brought us in."

"You will have all of the resources of Rodigon at your disposal." His Highness replied. He stood and gestured to the guard at the door. Three large men in combat fatigues were ushered into the room. They seemed vaguely familiar to Kim and Ron. "These soldiers were formerly members of the Knights of Rodigon. They are excellent warriors, and have sworn to serve a democratic Rodigon. They and their equipment are yours to command." The three ex-knights came to attention and saluted Kim. All looked ready to follow any command that would preserve the promises that the prince had made to his people when he came back from the United States.

The members of Team Possible stood up, Ron picking up his rodent friend. "Time to go to work.", Kim said.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes**

It always strikes me as funny when I put up those words. I never really intended to write anything. I work with people, not the written word. At least, I think I do.

Anyway, once again with the credits, Kim Possible and her team, enemies and other things are the property of Disney and are used here without license or permission. Not that anyone will care.

The story has taken a couple of turns in the writing that I never quite expected. I don't think it will run too much longer. The characters took over, somewhere around chapter two, I think. That's the hazard of writing for established people.

Please, read and review this work. I have other stories running around in the back of my head, and any advice you all can give me would be of great help to me.

* * *

Kim paced up and down the length of the cargo plane. Her little squad of infiltrators watched her, looking for all the world as if spectators at a tennis match. Step, step, step. Pivot. Step, step step. Anyone who did not know of her and her exploits would assume that she was nervous. After all, a jump from hight altitude onto a tiny tropical island wasn't something the average college co-ed did on a regular basis. They would explain the tension in her muscles away as pre-jump jitters. It took somebody who knew her to see the truth. She was trying to make a decision.

"Get your head in the game, KP." Ron thought. It had been years since she had behaved like this. This wasn't the Kim Possible he knew and loved. Where was the self-confident woman who could truthfully claim on her website that she could do anything? When Kim had a goal, she made decisions fast than he could think of the options. Hers was a straight and narrow path, no second guessing, no looking back. From where he sat, this could only end in one of two ways, either she would come to a conclusion and live with it, or she would freeze up faster than a mainframe on dial-up. Neither of those alternatives appealed to Ron.

When Kim reached his end of her march, Ron reached out and yanked her down to the bench so that she sat next to him. He held onto her wrist despite the angry glare that she gave him. Something had to get her attention, and that something had to come soon. The jump was only moments away. In this state, she might just forget her parachute.

"KP, you might want to get this show on the road and jump, but I don't think wearing a hole in the floor is the right way to go about it." When in doubt, Ron always tried to throw humor at a situation. True, it wasn't always the best solution, but it was the most potent weapon in his arsenal. At the very least, it was good for a distraction. Given his original role as Kim's sidekick, it had been invaluable. It had usually allowed Kim to get the upper hand in a tight spot.

"I'm just wondering if we're doing the right thing here, Ron." She took her hand back and clasped them in her lap. Her eyes studied the floor by her feet. "Do we really have the right to interfere in the political affairs of a whole country" Sure, rescuing the king is a no-brainer. Still, if any of the citizens of Rodigon are willingly following Senor Senior, that means that we are helping to decide the fate of a country that we don't belong in." She had spent the entire trip from Middleton reading about the results of good intentions going bad. She didn't like the implications.

"Look, KP, why don't we just deal the one ethical problem at a time. Once we get the king and put Senior behind bars, then we can open the political can of worms. Besides, that's what diplomats and courts are for." Kim looked up into the eyes locked on her. "We help people when they ask for it. We don't make their decisions for them."

Just like that, her moment of conflict was over. She knew what had to be done. She had the knowledge and the skills. Now was the time for calm, planned action. Everything had been laid out and timed to the best of human ability. Time to concentrate on the here and now, then move on. Lives depended on it, including the man she loved and the rodent who shared in that love.

The red light by the jump gate came on, indicating they were over the drop zone. With a quick nod to the team, Kim donned the helmet, goggles and oxygen mask this jump required, the other following suit. When she gave the signal, the hatch was opened with an out rush of air. Only the belts they wore kept them from being torn from their seats.

In order to keep the chances of detection as low as possible, the cargo plane was flying at a standard cruising altitude. Kim, Ron and three commandos would exit the craft and free fall for a full twenty minutes. At three and a half thousand feet, they would open their chutes. Unless proper care was taken, the resulting jerk would snap a jumpers neck. Ron had not been thrilled with this part of the plan, but recognized the need for both haste and surprise. He and Kim had jumped enough in the past that he was only scared, not terrified.

That didn't stop him from zipping Rufus into an insulated pocket with his own tiny air tank. No way he was going to risk losing his little buddy on the way down. He had even been tempted to sneak a few pieces of cheese in to him, but thought better of it. On a ride this rough, he didn't want to risk any biological backfires.

The yellow light strobed on, indicating sixty seconds from jump time. Five people in gray jumpsuits stood and gathered by the door, holding onto a strap bolted securely to the floor. the men mad way, and Kim Possible prepared to lead once more, taking that step into thin air first, and accepting the challenges that lay ahead. the doubts were gone, and the tension in her body along with it.

When the green light winked into existence, Kim dove out into space. She rushed toward the thin blanket of cloud they had been flying over. She was followed by the rest of the assault force, one of whom screamed for a full six minutes. After fifteen minutes, the jumpers moved off a small way from each other and arched their backs. By moving their arms and legs, they could control how they fell from the sky. Each was breathing compressed air from a pack on his or her chest.

At precisely three thousand and five hundred feet, five ripcords were pulled. The canopies blossomed like wild flowers in the prairie, beginning to drift toward the island below the feet of the jumpers.

By coming in from the air, Team Possible and company were able to avoid the perimeter defenses. Ron had lost several pair of pants to the barbed wire on the tall fences. The risk came from any alert guard seeing the final landing. Luck was on their side in that regard. Unfortunately, one of the commandos landed on his right leg alone. Even rolling did not prevent the bone from breaking. Only just making it to the target had cost them one member of the squad. There was nothing to be done but help him limp to a place of hiding and get about the rest of the mission.

Kim and Ron stripped out of the baggy jumpsuits, the latter retrieving Rufus and putting him into his usual pocket. One of the men stowed the chutes with the injured man, then moved to a flanking position. They had landed in a clearing on the east end of the compound. Keeping their eyes peeled, they moved out.

Pulling out the Kimmunicator, Kim called Wade, back in Middleton. He had been put on high alert before his friends got on the plane back in Rodigon. "Here, Kim.", he said quietly. "What do you need first?" He poised his hands over the keyboard before him. This situation was so big, all of Team Possible had been called in. Any one of them could be called upon at a moments notice. Favors would be called in, and transport would be arranged.

"Can you get me a scan of the island, Wade?" Kim asked. "I need to know what we are walking into. The last thing we need is to wander into a group of trigger happy revolutionaries." Prince Wallace had provided them with what information he could, but numbers were hard to come by. While guns weren't Senor Senior's style, there was no telling what kind of traps might be set up to catch the intruders. Kim might know the lay of the land, but this was something way out of the norm. Maybe she should have called Global Justice in on this one.

"Got it, Kim!" Wade's face was replaced on the screen by a map of the island. There were twenty-six red dots in various locations. One was stationary at their point of entry, that was obviously the injured soldier. Four other, moving so closely they almost blended, was the remainder of the group. Nineteen of the dots were moving around the main building of the compound. the last two were in the building itself. "Looks to me like they've got the king in one of the guest rooms. I can't be sure, but that all the infrared from the satellite shows." The map went into a tiny inset, and Wade's face took up most of the screen again.

"By the way, I had a thought and did some checking." The computer genius turned to a somebody on his left, who handed him a print out. "Whatever is happening at your location, Junior and Bonnie are clueless. More so than usual. I just called them at a recording session in Los Angeles. According to Junior, his father was off visiting a distant relation."

"Maybe, Wade. Thanks for the tip." Kim pushed a button, and the communication was cut off. The map replaced in on the entire screen again. She watched the dots that were in motion. A little less than half of them were patrolling the outside of the house. The rest were in various rooms.

Four heads bent over the Kimmunicator. One of the soldiers studied the pattern of the guards. "These are amateurs." he declared. "See, they keep leaving blind spots when they go around the corners of the house. It should be possible to gain entry at any of these places." He watched a few moments more, then picked a particularly vulnerable area in the fences. Pointing, he said, "This is the most promising spot for insertion." For about twenty seconds of each sweep, the path to a large window was clear.

"I don't know." Kim replied. "It looks a bit too easy to me. Senor Senior may be a kook with delusions of taking over the world, but he's not a complete idiot." She chewed at her lower lip for a moment. Staring at the blue outline of the house, she got a sudden idea. "You guys try getting in by that window. Be careful and quiet. Odds are he's expecting us. You can get to the king without being seen."

The two men melted into the tropical growth without a sound. Suddenly Kim, Ron and Rufus were on their own.

Rather than uncomfortable, Ron suddenly felt more natural. It was just Team Possible again, doing what they did best. "I know that look KP. They are the distraction, aren't they?" After so many missions, he could _almost_ figure out what this ingenious woman was thinking. She would always be able to surprise him, but he could tell when the light bulb had come on over her head, figuratively speaking.

"How'd you guess?" Those green eyes widened in pretended dismay. Like she could ever put one over on _this_ man.

"How many times have I been the rodeo clown to the bad guys?" Ron grinned at her. "Give me a little credit for learning how things are done in this organization."

That sparked an idea in Kim, one of those solutions that come when you stop thinking about the problem. She filed that one away for safe keeping. It wouldn't be easy, but the foundation was there. All it needed was time to build.

"Good instincts, Ron." She leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "We are going to do this the old fashioned way." Reaching to her side, she pulled out her hair dryer grapple gun. Her eyes went to the roof line, just visible above the tree tops from which they stood hidden. "I hope you wore the belt I gave you for our half anniversary. We just might need to hold up more than your pants." At that Rufus poked his head out of the pocket. He looked from one of his humans to the other.

"Uh-oh!" he chattered. "Here we go again!"

Kim and Ron had climbed to the top of a wall that protected a back section of the house. The patrols were a bit tighter here, but with stealth, they had gotten to a point where they could see into the upper floor. Kim carefully aimed the grapple and fired. There was a barely audible whoosh from the gun, and then the line was wound around a flag pole on the roof. She wedged the gun tightly into the branches of a tree, wrapping the wire a couple of times for good measure.

The line was sloped the wrong way to get to the roof, but that wasn't what Kim had in mind. She held out her hand, and Rufus stepped to it, giving her a crisp salute. Ron handed him his own line, having removed the grappling hook. "You know the plan, little buddy." he said, as Kim put her hand next to the first cable. With only a nod, the naked mole rat scampered up the line, ran around the flag pole and then slid down to where his family waited. Ron took the end of the line from him, and tied it to the belt. He secured the belt tightly about Kim's waist and deposited Rufus into her pocket.

All set, they waited for the signal. As if on cue, alarms started ringing and all of the guards converged on the side of the house the Rodigon contingent had been attempting to take. As soon as it was clear, Kim pulled the trigger on the gun, her arms and legs wrapped around her taut line. The line attached to the belt pulled tight, drawing her to the roof of the house. When she had gotten secure footing, she looped the belt over the cable and sent it sliding back. Ron was next to them in no time.

"Great idea, KP." Ron whispered. "Can I have my belt back now?" His pants, true to form, had fallen down around his ankles. Yet a further argument in favor of boxers over briefs. Kim merely rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, noting that he was wearing a brand new pair. These featured a print of smiley faces sticking their tongues out. Well, at least he was developing a sense of humor about these little mishaps. It was too bad Wade couldn't put together a little blooper reel for her. She suspected he had video of most of their escapades.

The heroes quietly made their way across the roof to a ventilation shaft. There was always a ventilation shaft, and the pair spent a great deal of time in duct work. By this time, either of them was qualified to repair heating and air conditioning systems. (In fact, Kim had once saved a shipment of donated blood from going bad." Using her lipstick laser, Kim cut off the grate.

Guided by the live scans on the Kimmunicator, the duo avoided the forces who, by this time, had secured the commandos who had served as a cover. The map really wasn't necessary for the purpose of navigation. Both of them could have found the bathroom blindfolded. Very soon, the were at the door to the study, where the king was being held. Ron slipped silently to the far side as his partner prepared to open it. The had practiced this routine until it was second nature.

The doors opened with a characteristic hiss, and Team Possible leaped in, assuming a crouching pose. Rufus launched himself from Kim's pocket, landing in a miniature version of the young couple. He even gave off a little growl of challenge.

The two men seated in the room turned to look in their direction. Senor Senior put down the cup that he had raised half way to his lips. Across from him at the table, an identical cup before him, sat the king of Rodigon. He was completely unharmed, and free to move about. Both men stood and faced their unexpected guests.

"You were quite correct, Senor Senior." the king remarked to his companion. "The soldiers we captured were just a ruse." He looked at his would be rescuers, a hint of respect in his eyes. "I should have know Wallace would have called in these two. That will teach me to listen, even to the black sheep of the family."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes**

The Disclaimer: I don't have any rights to Kim Possible, and promise to care for the characters as best I can.

I cannot thank those of you who have read and reviewed my work enough. Your insights have been essential for a first time writer like myself. The fact that you have enjoyed the story so far has made it easier to write. You know these characters well.

Keep reviewing,and if you have any suggestions for other plots you'd like to see my take on, just drop me a line. The characters do seem to write for themselves though. There is no denying "the Ronness."

Back to Seniors Island, and where we left off.

Oh, yes, before I forget, the idea about the painting comes from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

* * *

Ron came out of his combat stance and rubbed the back of his neck. He hadn't looked this confused since his last high school algebra exam. "Wait a second! You mean to tell me that you kidnapped yourself? And Senor Senior here really does have royal blood?" By this time there were several large men in the room. the captured soldiers were being escorted to the leaders of the scheme. Whatever that might prove to be. Both had their hands cuffed behind their backs.

At a gesture from Senior, two more chairs were pulled up to the table. The young team was escorted to the seats and gently urged to sit down. Coffee was poured and sandwiches set out. Ron, being himself, instantly grabbed a snack for himself and Rufus. Kim, ever suspicious, didn't touch anything until her "hosts" did first. The other prisoners had their shackles removed, but were still watched closely by what the king identified as his own Royal Guard.

Kim kept staring at her old nemesis. Something was tickling the back of her brain. Her mother had once told her that this was a normal response. It meant that there was a memory trying to come to the surface. All it needed was a trigger. Being a brain surgeon, Mrs. Dr. Possible was an authority. Desperately, Kim tried to find that trigger. Never mind the answers, what were the questions? The solution to all of her problems, and not just the mission related ones, seemed to be just beyond her finger tips.

"Your Majesty, what's the sitch... I mean, what is happening here?" She decided to be as straight forward and honest as possible. Neither of these men seemed to be genuinely dangerous. Maybe it could all be settled without resorting to gymnastics or martial arts.

"Firstly, I must apologize for getting the both of you involved in my problems.", the king started. "I'm afraid this was all my fault. I wasn't ready to change, and got desperate." The middle aged man was shifting uncomfortably in his seat. This was far from what one expected form somebody born to rule in any situation. Having to explain himself to a pair of youngsters wasn't making things any easier. He took a long sip of his coffee, trying to collect his thoughts.

"When Wallace came home from America," he began, "I was sure that he would give up his plans for democracy. He would naturally miss the lifestyle of royalty, or so I thought. When he began laying the foundation for destroying the monarchy, I went to the only person I could think of who could put a stop to it." The king looked to the gentleman on his left. That was when it hit her, the tickle at the back of her brain broke through.

"The paintings!", she cried. "In the hall at the palace. One of those paintings looks just like you!" She pointed at Senor Senior, an awe-struck look on her face. Now she could see the resemblance. In her mind, she took away the ornate clothing of the painting and the added years on the man before her. There was no doubting the lineage. Only a DNA test could prove otherwise to Kim. Realizing how she must look at that moment, she closed her mouth and sat back in her chair. "It's true then, you do have a claim to the throne of Rodigon." Now she felt deflated, thinking about the mess this could all cause.

"No, my dear Miss Possible. Mine is the line of pretenders to the kingdom. My great grandfather tried to seize the country from Wallace's line, but he was defeated." Senor Senior examined his old foe. On his face was an expression of sincerity. "He was forgiven his crimes, and given high honors. He emigrated to Spain, where he changed his name and founded the industries that have provided me with my wealth." He looked about at his island home, the place he had chosen to retire with his son. Now, even Junior was gone, pursuing his dream with his girlfriend, spending a respectable share of the family fortune.

At this point, Ron decided to pipe up. Around a mouth full of sandwich, he asked, "But what's with the scheme? You are still the king. Just tell Wally he can't change the rules. It works pretty good for my folks." Only Ron would dream of addressing royalty in such a manner, and only the Stoppable goofiness would let him get away with it. Somehow, he had developed an ability to get straight to the heart of the matter without offending people. He'd never make it in diplomatic circles.

"Young man," His Majesty replied. "you simply must see how things looked from my point of view. Wallace is my only son, and the only rightful heir to the throne. I only hold it until I cannot fulfill my duties. Once he is the king, he can do as he pleases." Suddenly the king looked older than his years. The responsibility for his country weighed heavily on his shoulders. The burden seemed to drag him down physically. "The older generation is still very tied to the old ways of our little kingdom, especially since we are so small. The younger people see us as stagnant, refusing to accept new ideas and grow." With a sigh, the monarch again took a sip from his cup. A sad expression took over his face. "We are on the brink of a civil war, albeit a quiet one. We cannot bring ourselves to change so rapidly, and our children are impatient to make over our land. If they don't get what they want, they will leave, we will be dead to them."

Kim sat at the table for several minutes, digesting all that the king had said. She'd been right on the plane, after all. Without meaning to, she had gotten herself into the middle of something that really wasn't any of her business. True, her goal had been to rescue one person and protect another, but by doing so, she was extending a conflict. A conflict that seemed to have no resolution.

Ron was a very straight forward thinker, on the other hand. When caught between two equally valid options, he just tore them apart and built a third, more pleasant option. As Kim looked at the problem from her point of view, her partner looked at it from the sidelines. It was an easy enough perspective, when you spent most of your time just standing out of the way until needed. From where he sat, Rodigon need that third alternative, preferably before it tore itself along generational lines.

Kim had gone back to the immediate problem. "Your Majesty, it seems to me that you've just been trying to get Wallace to do things your way without telling him why. What I don't understand is why you brought Senor Senior into this at all. Why the drama and threats?"

Instead of the king, his co-conspirator answered that question. "He made the mistake that I made with Junior. All his life, I've tried to make Junior into something he isn't, I wanted him to be the royalty that my great grandfather aspired to." It was Senior's turn to sigh with regret. "Instead, I took young Mister Possible's naive suggestion and tried to grasp power for him through villainy. I was like a foolish cartoon character." In a few short words, he had explained why Junior was not in on this plot, and why he himself had not been seen until now. With his son gone from him, world conquest meant nothing. The realization of wasted time with his son was obvious.

"I thought I could scare Wallace back into my way of thinking.", the king continued at that point. "At first I tried bullying him, then pleading with him." At that point the king looked at Kim. "I assumed when he came back that he was the same boy I sent to you. Events proved me wrong. He is a formidable leader. Perhaps I should let him do things his own way. Even kings must accept the will of the people."

"Why can't you have change and tradition?"

Everyone had forgotten about Ron. When he was deep in thought, he was almost invisible. Now everyone turned to look at him as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Even the captured commandos were paying attention at this point.

Turning to the two men he asked, "What was the mission of the Knights of Rodigon?" Both men looked first at Ron, then the king, and finally each other.

"To end the rule of kings over the people of Rodigon against their own judgment.", one of the men replied. "With all due respect, Sire, we feel that we can rule ourselves as well as any king born to the title."

Ron was nodding as he put his thoughts together in his head. He was coming to his third option, but thought it best to move in small steps. Lifestyles, if not lives, hung in the balance. "So, you don't object to the traditions of kings and knights in and of themselves, just when the king makes the laws by himself, without the input of the people?" He looked over to Kim, who was starting to see where he was going with this.

The former knights looked at each other. "Well, since you put it that way..." Both just shook their heads.

Ron stood up from the table. Somehow, he looked as if he were about to make a Solomon like proposal. "Then I think, with Your Majesty's approval, we should adjourn this little gab fest and settle the problem where it lies." He turned to Senor Senior. "Um, you wouldn't be able to get us a cab ride out of here, would you?" With a laugh running around the room, Ron still managed to keep his dignity, if diluted somewhat by the trademark goofy grin on his face.

Rufus, on the table by the now empty plate, smacked his forehead. There went his friend's moment of glory.


	6. Chapter 6

**

* * *

**

Author's Notes 

Legal business: Disney owns all of the rights to Kim Possible and related characters. I only own the story seen here.

I've opened this chapter with part of Kim's paper to explain a little about where the story idea came from. It ties the events nicely with the opening chapter, and gives me a way out of the fact that she has so little time to get it done.

My thanks to LTAOZFAN for insight into the role of royalty in a constitutional monarch. It's the phrasing that I was looking for. The power of the review, people.

* * *

An excerpt from Kim Possible's sociology paper. 

A Comparative Study:

The British Crown, The American Revolution and the Rodigon Solution

Political systems and the people under them are in a constant state of change. Depending on the stimulus, that change can be abrupt or it can be more of an evolution. Either way, the change is bound to have a profound affect on the population of a nation. The final result is unique to each county, and is a prime consideration in the cultural heritage of the people.

When a nation makes an abrupt change in the way it is governed, there is usually a great deal of emotional tension. Factions will arise, differences in opinion and social standing can escalate to the point of violence. Shorter transitions often result in shorter conflicts with much greater loss of life and persecutions. A system evolving over a long period of time will have multiple brief periods of turbulence, some of them more bloody than others. What is the role of the ruling class in controlling these events? What happens to the portion of the population whose position loses the struggle of the transition? Can there be total reconciliation, or is one party doomed to a permanent state of alienation? Much depends on the individual circumstances, the size and make up of the population involved. History shows many instances of displaced persons deriving their cultural identity from their stand on the change in political rule.

The story of the British constitutional monarchy is one of the best examples of political power evolving. Power changed hands many times, form the Celtic Clans, to the Romans, the Saxons and to the Normans under William the Conquerer. Each shift involved the invasion of the British Isles by larger and better equipped armies. These changes of rule were usually punctuated with relatively brief periods of violence and warfare. The change from strict monarchy to the present system of rule came about through sporadic changes of the small sort., where the population insisted that the ruling class accept limitations and acknowledge the rights of the common people. The Magna Carta is the prime example of the masses enforcing will over the monarchy.

The British system of governance can be considered a compromise. The elected representatives of the people make the laws to which all members of society are bound. In this way, citizens have control over their own destinies. The monarchy remains as a center of focus for national identity and a link to the past. Aside from the ceremonial nature of the Royal Family, they also continue to be a very important part of the rule of law, leaving the final approval for any statute in the hands of one person, in whom the people of the commonwealth can put confidence. The sense of continuity provides stability when the parliamentary system is in a perpetual change of leadership.

The American Revolution is a prime example of a much faster change of political system. Triggered by the anger of the American colonists, a military action was deemed necessary. The rule of a distant monarch simply was not acceptable, the people feeling persecuted by King George, and their work exploited though taxation without representation. What resulted was a bloody confrontation. These men were willing to die and gamble their futures on an experiment in democracy. Support for this experiment was not universal, and many chose to support the British Empire. With the defeat of the English, and establishment of the United States as a nation, these people were persecuted and fled north to Canada, becoming the United Empire Loyalists.

The change of political systems in the United States is, far from a compromise, a rejection of what a relatively small group (in comparison to the British Empire as a whole) deemed undesirable. By the use of extreme measures, including the creation of guerrilla warfare, they discarded what did not work for the people. In its place is a system that relies upon constant change. Ultimate power is in the hands of the people, choosing who will have the privilege of serving. By the process of changing leaders through election, the threat of a return to conditions experienced in the past was eliminated. Americans, by and large, are proud of their independence and take pride in what they have created for future generations.

Recent events in the European kingdom of Rodigon are something far different. Being such a small nation, the population was divided between monarchists and reformists, mostly along generational lines. Led by Prince Wallace III, the reformists felt that it was time for a more modern form of rule, one allowing them to control their fate. The older members of the population were set in the traditions so common to a small kingdom. Now in the minority, the monarchist movement took desperate steps in an attempt to maintain the status quo, feeling as though they were no longer relevant to society.

In the end, compromise has again become the resolution to the conflict. There has been a step back from the quick reform. A transition phase, wherein there will continue to be a monarchy, acting to guide the burgeoning democracy. Fortunately, cool heads prevailed...

Indeed, heads were not only cool, the were downright frosty at first. Wallace had been hard pressed to forgive his father for scaring him in this way. He wasn't the least inclined to give up his plans to dismantle the old system of government. Rather, he saw this as a reason why it was time for the younger generation to take things over. It was a new world, Wallace argued. Time to accept that change was coming.

Senor Senior, who had provided a jet to take the king, Team Possible and the three commandos (the injured man's leg in a temporary splint) back to Rodigon, tried to intervene. Wally's search had indeed proved his claims to the throne false, but confirmed that, in truth, he was family. "Your Highness," he had pleaded. "please try to see the other side of this situation. If you truly wish to run a democratic nation, you must try to understand all points of view. It is the basis of a free society." He looked kindly at his distant relative. If he had one gift, it was the ability to be charming and benign. Even at his worst as a power seeking villain, he never really meant serious harm.

Seeing an opportunity, Ron Stoppable rose from his seat at the long table in the library. The whole flight back from the island, he had rehearsed his proposal, whispering with Kim in the very back of the craft. It wasn't usually his role to stand in the center of attention, and so much rode on what he would say. She had his back in this. He took a deep breath, looked at the people around him, and dove in.

"Gentlemen, I don't think the situation is as bad as we are making it out to be. You have been seeing the problem as either A or B. Would it not make sense to look at it more as from A, through B, to C?" Everyone looked at Ron, most with a confused look. "Instead of a monarchy or a democracy, it might be easier to use the monarchy advising the democratic government as a transition. You can't put a legislature together over night anyway. There has to be time to construct a constitution, to put a bureaucracy into place."

The enormity of the task at hand was beginning to dawn on Wallace. Even given the small population of Rodigon, there were a lot of departments that would have to be absorbed from the king's appointed staff to an elected or hired office. It would be years before the method of electing officials could be decided upon. If the change were too sudden, there would be confusion for the citizens. The country would founder before it could even get a chance to try its luck as a democracy.

Prince Wallace looked at his father, and realized that he had been too rash. By moving without thinking of how the change would affect others, he had been pushing the older man aside, effectively dismissing his value to Rodigon. Aside from being his father, the king was also a resource, one that could not be disposed of if change was to come about at all. "Mister Stoppable is quite right father. We need time, your generation to adapt to the change, and mine to be made ready to accept the responsibility we are demanding." He then turned to Senor Senior. "You, too, are correct. If I aspire to lead a civil government one day, I must be prepared to accept that there will be discord from time to time."

So it came to pass that Rodigon took the steps toward becoming a constitutional monarchy after the fashion of Great Britain.

Kim and Ron, exhausted, were flown back to Middleton by Senor Senior himself. Kim spent the whole of the trip furiously writing into her notebook, occasionally referring to the papers and books scattered about her. Ron, not wishing to disturb her, now that she was focused, simply stretched out on a seat, catching up on some much needed shut-eye. Rufus lay curled up on his chest, every bit as much asleep as his human. The steady rise and fall of the young man's breathing was like the rocking of a cradle, and there was no need to sing "Rock-a-bye Rufus" on this occasion.


	7. Chapter 7

Well, my friends, this is it, end of the story. I would like to thank all who have contributed their thoughts to the process. If this meets with your approval, let me know so that I can get a few more plots out there. Do you see anything that needs work? I need that info too.

* * *

The elevator doors opened onto the floor of Monique and Kim's apartment one week almost to the minute that Ron had arrived the last time. The young blond man was loaded down with bags again, but these were proper groceries. He wasn't alone this time either. Wade Load stepped out behind his friend, the ever present take-out cup of soda in his one hand, a laptop tucked under the other arm. They walked up to the apartment door. 

"Uh, Ron, how do we ring the bell?" Wade looked at his companion, and the the door. He edged toward the button, his elbow extended.

Ron nodded him aside. "Not to worry, buddy. We have an extra set of hands." He looked down significantly at his right pocket. Right on cue, Rufus popped his head out, a small wedge of cheddar in his little fingers, stuffing it into his mouth. "Hey, what have I told you about snacking in there? It takes forever to get the crumbs out, and my laundry hamper smells like a compost pile." Rufus just bowed his head, pretending to be ashamed of himself. He climbed over to Wade's arm, (sneaking a sip from his straw while he was at it) and pushed the button.

Kim answered the door, dressed in a pair of track pants and one of Ron's old jerseys. She had worked like crazy when they had returned from Europe, and was only now starting to come down from all of the coffee she had been drinking. The largest part of the afternoon had been spent in bed, where she had gone directly after getting back from her sociology class.

Her professor, hearing that Team Possible had been called to action, had been preparing to give her student a brief extension. She was rather surprised when Miss Possible had handed in her paper at the start of the class without a word. She had started reading the assignment over coffee between lectures. It had been close, getting to the next lecture, a cold cup of coffee in her hand, the pages tucked safely into a pouch of her briefcase. Indeed, Kim Possible _could_ do anything.

Kim's smile was just what Ron had needed to see, his best girl was rested. Now she needed to be fed. "Hi KP", he said with a silly grin on his face. "Your dinner is in the bag, literally." Wade merely rolled his eyes at the weak pun. Kim ushered the two men in, grabbing one of the bags from Ron, and relieving Wade of his passenger, who was once again making a play for the soda. She put him on the table in front of a souvenir shot glass she had picked up heaven knows where, pouring him a drink of his own.

Monique came out of her room, ran over and put her arms around Wade's neck. "It's nice to see you in person for once this week." She leaned into him and gave him a warm embrace. "Web cam dates just don't cut it, not after..." The woman stopped talking all of a sudden, and glanced nervously at the other couple in the room. Glances were shared all around, followed by laughter. "Oops! T.C.O.B (The cat's out of the bag) now!" Kim and Ron had been wondering just how far _that_ relationship had gotten.

While Wade went about plugging in what he liked to think of as his portable office, Kim and Ron retreated to the kitchen, where they proceeded to unload a grocery store's worth of produce.

"How do you manage to get so much food?", Kim asked, trying not to bruise the tomatoes. "Not that Mo and I don't appreciate the cooking, but you could have a house of your own with what you spend on us." He was still living at home with his parents and Hana, which made getting together privately difficult at times. When pushed, all he would say was that the arrangement worked best for him and his family. He said that he wasn't going to miss a single moment of Hana's childhood. Thinking of "the tweebs", Kim privately thought that he was insane.

Setting to work, the pair began making a salad for supper, to go with the lasagna Ron had left in the freezer a couple of weeks ago. Kim carefully cut up the tomatoes. With patient tutoring from her boyfriend, she was becoming more confident in the kitchen. The on-going feud with the blender prevented any thought of baking, but she and Monique could eat healthy. They had even had Mr. and Mrs. Possible over for supper once last month. Anne had declared the roast chicken an unqualified success.

Four humans and a naked mole rat made quick work of the meal. If he couldn't have Bueno Nacho, Rufus loved Italian, four cheeses, enough said. While Wade and Monique took over dish duty, Ron and Kim cuddled up on the couch. Ron inhaled the fresh scent of the fruit based shampoo that his girlfriend favored. The smell of strawberries and vanilla would forever be associated with happy hours curled up in comfortable silence.

Finally, all five were sitting in the living room, Rufus on the arm of the sofa at Ron's elbow. Wade turned the laptop on for all of them to see. "Okay, Kim", he said. "the founding members of Team Possible are here. Shall we get this show started?" He leaned over the keys, ready to set the machine into action. It might have looked like the standard computer a student would carry, but the young computer whiz had tinkered with it to the point that the original designers wouldn't recognize it. The warranty had long since been rendered void. Word had it the manufacturers were drooling over the idea of getting hands on it.

Kim stood up and started pacing. Her emerald eyes were shining with anticipation. "I'm sure you've all noticed how tired Ron and I have been lately.", she began. "If it weren't for you and our other friends, we'd be totally burnt out by now." She looked around the room, these weren't just friends anymore, nor mere colleagues. This was a small part of her family. "I had thought about taking down the web site. After talking with each of you, and those who aren't here, I decided that you were right, this is what we do and who we are."

Kim nodded to Wade, whose fingers danced over the keyboard in a blur, and the web site came on the screen. At a second nod, he hit another key. Kimpossible dot com disappeared form the screen, replaced by a new page. The words "Team Possible" were prominent. Below were a list of links that visitors could use.

"Wade has revamped the entire set up. The idea came to me back on Senor Senior's island." She looked over to where her boyfriend sat, a smile automatically coming to her lips. "Ron said that he knew his place in the "organization", and I realized that's what we needed to do, organize. We have to prioritize what assignments we are going to take, and who will handle them." She looked around the room once more. This was the only way to solve the problem of there not being enough hours in the day. She wanted, no _needed_, some personal time, time spent with Ron.

Team Possible was now a non-profit corporation with the mission of assisting the official authorities as the need arose, and helping individuals that those authorities could not. When there was a hit on the site (and all calls to the old site would be forwarded) they would be answered by a group of volunteers, organized and trained by Zita Flores. From there, the request would be sent to the Global Justice forces, or assigned to the appropriate member of the team.

The organization was now divided into specialized departments so that no one group would be overloaded. Wade was handling the technical department. He would put together gear for all missions and maintain the new mainframe system that served the site. Zita and her boyfriend, Felix Renton, would be in charge of communications and logistics, getting rides for people and keeping everyone in the loop. The "tweebs" were now old enough and capable of working search and rescue. They were quick with innovative solutions to problems. Besides, Mrs. Dr. P had been asked to act as a medical consultant, so she could keep an eye on them. Monique had volunteered to work with Wade on supplies, particularly the mission uniforms. (Kim had relied on her for years.)

"There's just one question, Kim." Ron leaned forward. "Where is the money for all of this going to come from? I'd gladly pay for it, but I can't touch my Naco royalties for another two years." Ron's father had prudently arranged to have all of his money safely invested in trust.. After losing his first check to Draken, everyone thought it was wise move. Ron was given a living allowance, but the majority of the money was squirreled away until he turned twenty-one.

"That's been taken care of.", Kim said with a secretive little smile. She looked at the clock on the mantle that her parents had given her for her last birthday. He should be here any moment. "We have a sponsor, somebody who has been hoarding wealth for years and has been looking for a productive way to spend it." Just as the words left her mouth, the doorbell rang. She strolled over an answered it, escorting the older gentleman to the center of the room. "Lady, gentleman and mole rat, I give you Team Possible's new benefactor."

Senor Senior made a quick bow, enjoying his part in the little spectacle. He smiled at each of the young men and gallantly kissed the hand that Monique offered him. "When Miss Possible asked me if I would find a backer for this little endeavor, I decide that this was the best way to use up the money that had been going to waste on silly schemes to take over the world. Junior is welcome to the island and a few million dollars in his trust fund. The rest I invest in Team Possible, so that you can continue to help others, even foolish old men like me."

Later that night, Kim and Ron were again snuggled up on the couch. Rufus had long since gone to bed in Kim's room. Wade had taken Monique out for a quick cup of coffee at the cafe down the street. Soft music played in the background. For the first time in ages, they were alone, a young couple, very much in love. The light from the fire shone on the glossy red locks that were on Ron's shoulder. Both of them just stared into the flames. What did they really need conversation for?

"Kim, I've been meaning to ask you something about the new team." She turned her eyes up to him and he went on. "If the boys are handling search and rescue, Wade is handling security systems and mission analysis, what are _we_ going to be doing:"

Kim turned around so that she was facing Ron. "We'll be doing what we always do. You and I will help people in trouble, people that the regular authorities cannot or won't. You and I, love, are going to save the world." Her eyes sparkled with a fire that was a part of her very soul. The glow of the fire was a mere ember by comparison. "After all, together, we can do anything." She reached up and pulled his head down to hers until their lips touched. Once more Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable fell deeply in love with each other.


End file.
